In addition to supplying the Ukrainian armed forces with sophisticated long-range weapons that are inflicting major damage on Russian assets and troops, the alliance has quietly shifted massive amounts of troops throughout the European continent and especially in countries that border Russia.
But now the situation threatens to get way out of hand.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has just issued a warning to all Americans inside Ukraine to leave immediately by the quickest, safest route and method possible.
"The security situation throughout Ukraine continues to be violent and unpredictable due to ongoing military attacks by Russia, with active fighting in country and uncertain safety conditions," the embassy announced.
"Avoid large gatherings and organized events as they may serve as Russian military targets anywhere in Ukraine, including its western regions. The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens in Ukraine to depart now using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so," the warning stated.
"The security situation throughout Ukraine is highly volatile, and conditions may deteriorate without warning. U.S. citizens should remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness," the embassy added.
"Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space. In the event of mortar and/or rocket fire, follow the instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. If you feel your current location is no longer safe, you should carefully assess the potential risks involved in moving to a different location," it said.
The warning also advised U.S. citizens to regularly monitor local and international news and social media news channels; ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible; and review personal security plans and always have a contingency plan in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.
The statement from the embassy comes on the heels of a warning of another sort -- from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, as reported by Russia Today.
"The leadership of Ukraine would meet their maker should they attack Crimea, as Russia would retaliate with a massive strike, the country’s former president has warned. Speaking with Second World War veterans on Sunday in the city of Volgograd, Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012 and currently deputy chairman of the country’s Security Council, issued a dire warning to the authorities in Kiev, who had earlier said that a strike against Crimea was on the cards," the outlet reported.
"Some exalted bloody clowns that are periodically popping up over there with some statements, and are even trying to threaten us – I mean an attack on Crimea and so on," said Medvedev, who rotated through as prime minister and president with current President Vladimir Putin for years.
"In case something like that happens, the Day of Judgement will come to them all simultaneously – a swift and hard one," he added ominously.
The former president added that "it will be very difficult to hide" if Russia decides to launch such a massive strike, noting that despite these risks, the Ukrainian leadership is "continuing to provoke the overall situation with such statements."
"And we will achieve the set goals in the name of our country's development and so as not to let our dear veterans down, who defended our motherland during the Great Patriotic War," Medvedev concluded after blasting Ukraine's leaders for continuing to fight.
A previous report from Russia Today claimed that Ukraine was considering striking Crimea, which Moscow "annexed" from Kyiv in 2014, using U.S. missiles. That is likely why the American embassy is warning Americans to get out now because they won't be safe anywhere in the country if that happens.
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